Old City Hosts Kick Off To National Park Week

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Independence National Historical Park hosted a special family friendly celebration in Old City to kick off National Park Week.

Karl Schaffenburg, supervisory park ranger at Independence National Historical Park explains special ranger programs and games that were being held.

“We are in Franklin Court, this was the home of Benjamin Franklin in his later years,” Schaffenburg said.

He described the activities they had set up for the kids.

“We have the children playing 18th century games, he said. “We have one of our mascots here, Buddy Bison.”

Anna came over from New Jersey with her nephews to enjoy all of the actives.

“They’ve got little journals for them to fill out, they’ve got stuff about fire prevention because Benjamin Franklin didn’t like fires,” Anna said. “They have puzzles, and you can take pictures with park rangers.”

Schaffenburg says National Park Week is meant to bring attention to the nation’s parks.

“We have over 400 national park sites throughout the United States and its territories,” he said.

He says the idea of the National Park Service is revolutionary.

“We are a very young nation compared to many, but in terms of creating national parks and setting aside what is most important to us for preservation, we are the leader in that,” he said.